Quick service valve device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a continual quick service valve device operative sequentially with each successive brake pipe pressure reduction over the entire service application range of brake pipe pressure reductions to effect &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;quick service&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; transmission through a train brake pipe of a pressure reduction wave. Fluid under pressure heretofore released from the quick action chamber of a conventional brake control valve device to atmosphere upon effecting a service reduction of brake pipe pressure is supplied to one side of an abutment to cause it to open a quick service valve that establishes a communication between the train brake pipe and a quick service volume. This abutment also constitutes a snap-acting valve for controlling flow between the quick service volume and atmosphere and simultaneously effecting a change in its effective area. Consequently, so long as the one side of this abutment is subject to fluid under pressure released from the quick action chamber, it successively deflects in opposite directions to operate the quick service valve for controlling flow from the train brake pipe to the quick service volume and simultaneously, acting as a valve, repeatedly first cuts off flow from the quick service volume to atmosphere and thereafter releases to atmosphere the fluid under pressure supplied to this volume from the train brake pipe. Means are provided for constantly releasing to atmosphere at a restricted rate the fluid under pressure supplied to the one side of the abutment so that upon movement of the brake control valve device from its service to its lap position, the repeated operations of the continual quick service valve device are terminated. However, upon any subsequent movement of the brake control valve device from its lap position to its service position in response to a manually effected further reduction of brake pipe pressure, this continual quick service valve device will operate in the manner described above to repeatedly first vent fluid under pressure from the brake pipe to the quick service volume and thereafter release this fluid under pressure from this volume to atmosphere until the brake control valve device returns to its lap position.

United States Patent 1 Wilson et al. 7

[ QUICK SERVICE VALVE DEVICE [75] Inventors: Richard L. Wilson,Monroeville;

Daniel G. Scott, Apollo, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company,

Wilmerding, Pa.

22 Filed: Oct. 27, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 193,106

52 us. Cl .i303/s2,303/36 51 Int. Cl. ..B60t 17/04 58 FieldofSearch..303/3639,82,

[5 6] References 7 Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS McClure et al ..303/83Wilson ..303/82 Primary Examiner-Duane A. Reger Attorney-Ralph W.Mclntire, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT [4 1 Feb. 13, 1973 an abutment to cause it to open aquick service valve that establishes a communication between the trainbrake pipe and a quick service volume. This abutment also constitutes a'snap-acting valve for controlling flow between the quick service volumeand atmosphere and simultaneously effecting a change in its effectivearea. Consequently, so long as the one side of this abutment is subjectto fluid under pressure released from the quick action chamber, itsuccessively deflects in opposite directions to operate the quickservice valve for controlling flow from the train brake pipe to thequick service volume and simultaneously, acting as a valve, repeatedlyfirst cuts off flow from the quick service volume to atmosphere andthereafter releases to atmosphere the fluid under pressure supplied tothis volume from the train brake pipe. Means are provided for constantlyreleasing to atmosphere at a restricted rate the fluid under pressuresupplied to the one side of the abutment so that upon movement of thebrake control valve device from its service to its lap position, therepeated operations of the continual quick service valve device areterminated However, upon any subsequent movement of the brake controlvalve device from its lap position to its service position in responseto a manually effected further reduction of brake pipe pressure, thiscontinual quick service valve device will operate in the mannerdescribed above to repeatedly first vent fluid under pressure from thebrake pipe to the quick service volume and thereafter release this fluidunder pressure from this volume to atmosphere until the rake controlvalve device returns to its lap position.

16 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Pmizminrrm 3716.276

' sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD L.W|LSON DANlEL G. SCOTT AGENT QUICKSERVICE VALVE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION pipe on the longestcars being built today exceeds by at least 50 percent the volume of thebrake pipe of older cars. Therefore, it is desirable to effect greaterlocal quick service reductions in brake pipe pressure than has beenheretofore possible with the AB freight car brake equipment now in useon most'American railroads in order to assure ahigher rate ofpropagation of a brake pipe pressure reduction wave from the locomotivebackward through the train and therebyeffect a 'more nearly simultaneousinitiation of a service application of brakes on all cars in a train.

Furthermore, the present freight car ABD air brake control valve deviceis operable to provide a local quick service reduction in brake pipepressure only in response to the initial reduction in brake pipepressure effected by manual'operation of the engineer's brake valvedevice located on' the locomotive.

Under certain service conditions, for example, when a freight trainhaving cars equipped with the conventional ABD control valve device mustdescend a long and increasingly steep grade, it is necessary for theengineer to make an initial light reduction in brake pipe pressure andone or more subsequent heavier reductions in order to provide the properdegree of braking on the train as it descends the grade.

Therefore, it would be most desirable that each car in the train beprovided, in addition to the conventional ABD control valve device, withan improved quick service valve device for effecting continual (that is,interrupted but repeated) limited quick service reductions in brake pipepressure.

It is the general'purpose of this invention to provide a novel quickservice valve device for use with an ABD brake control valve device in arailway freight car brake control equipment, which quick service deviceis operative to effect continual limited quick service reductions-inbrake pipe pressure, that is, repeated quick service reductions in brakepipe pressure whenever and so long as brake pipe pressure is beingreduced at a service rate by manual operation of the I engineers brakevalve device on the locomotive. By

using a continual quick service valve device with an ABD brake controlvalve device, greater overall quick service reduction in brake pipepressure can be effected, without causing an undesired emergencyapplication of brakes, than can be effected with the ABD brake controlvalve device alone. Also, the local quick service reductions in brakepipe pressure will be effected'notonly upon an initial service rate ofreduction brake pipe pressure, but also upon successive further servicereductions in brake pipe pressure effected to apply brakes tocorrespondingly greater degrees, such as while descending a grade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a novelcontinual quick service valve device is provided for use in combinationwith an ABD brake control valve device. Upon each service rate ofreduction in brake pipe pressure, the fluid under pressure released fromthe quick action chamber in the emergency valve portion of the ABD brakecontrol valve device is supplied to a chamber at one side of a diaphragmthat operates a quick service valve and also constitutes a snap-actingvalve for controlling flow between a quick service volume andatmosphere. Deflection of the diaphragm in one direction effects openingof the quick service valve and movement of the snap-acting valve intoengagement with an annular valve seat to simultaneously closecommunication between aquick service volume and a restricted exhaustpassageway and reduce the effective area of the other side of thediaphragm to that within the annular valve seat and subject to thepressure in the quick service volume. Consequently, when the pressurebuilt up in this volume and on the reduced effective area of the otherside of the diaphragm exceeds the pressure acting on the one sidethereof by a chosen amount, the deflection of the diaphragm in theopposite direction establishes a restricted communication between thequick service volume and atmosphere and simultaneously restores theeffective area of the other side of the diaphragm to its original value,whereupon the above described operation is continually repeated so longas fluid under pressure is present on the one side of the diaphragm.Upon movement of the brake control valve device to its lap position,fluid under pressure is released from the one side of the diaphragm toatmosphere via a check valve and a pair of chokes whereupon the repeatedoperations of the continual quick service valve device are terminated.However, upon a manually effected subsequent further reduction ofpressure in the brake pipe and movement of the brake control valvedevice to its service position in response thereto, the continual quickservice valve device will again operate in the manner described above torepeatedly first vent fluid under pressure from the brake pipe to thequick service volume and thereafter release this fluid under pressurefrom the quick service volume to atmosphere until the brake controlvalve device again moves to its lap position.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, showing a railwayvehicle brake equipment constructed in accordance with one embodiment ofthe invention and comprising an ABD brake control valve device a novelcontinual quick service valve device.

DESCRIPTION FIG. 1

The fluid pressure brake equipment shown in FIG. 1 of the drawingscomprises a brake pipe 1, a first branch pipe 2, a brake control valvedevice 3, an auxiliary reservoir 4, an emergency reservoir 5, a-brakecylinder 6, a second branch pipe 7 and a continual quick service valvedevice 8.

The brake control valve device 3 may be of the direct release type, suchas the ABD brake control valve device which is described in US. Pat. No.3,175,869, issued Mar. 30, 1965 to Walter B. Kirk and assigned to theassignee of the present application.

In view of the above-mentioned patent, it is deemed unnecessary to showand describe in detail the brake control valve device 3 and the brakecylinder 6. However, part of the emergency portion of the brake controlvalve device 3 is shown in detail in FIG. 1 of the drawing to illustratehow this emergency portion operates to supply fluid under pressure froma quick action chamber to the continual quick service valve device 8 tocontrol the operation of this valve device. It will, of course, beunderstood that the brake control valve device 3 operates upon a servicereduction in brake pipe pressure to supply fluid under pressure to thebrake cylinder 6 to effect a service brake application, upon anemergency reduction in brake pipe pressure to effect an emergency brakeapplication, and upon an increase in brake pipe pressure to effect acomplete brake release and the charging of the brake equipment. It willalso be understood that the brake cylinder 6 is effective to apply tothe wheels of a freight car a braking force proportional to tee pressureof the fluid supplied to the brake cylinder 6 by the brake control valvedevice 3.

The continual quick service valve device 8 comprises a casing 9 and acover member 10 secured thereto by any suitable means (not shown), theperiphery of an annular flexible diaphragm 11 being clampedtherebetween. The diaphragm l1 and the cover member 10 cooperate to formbelow the diaphragm a chamber 12 into which opens a passageway andcorresponding pipe 13. This pipe 13 is connected to the emergencyportion of the brake control valve device 3 in a manner hereinafterdescribed.

The upper side of the diaphragm 11 has bonded thereto one side of ametallic plate to the other side of which is bonded a resilient annularvalve 14 which, upon the initial upward deflection of the diaphragm 11in response to the supply of fluid under pressure to the chamber 12,abuts a pair of annular concentric beads or valve seats 15 and 16 thatare formed integral with I the casing 9.

The diaphragm 11 is operatively connected to a valve stem 17 havingadjacent one end a flange 18 between which and a diaphragm followerplate 19 the inner periphery of this diaphragm is clamped by a nut 20that has screw-threaded engagement with external screw threads formed ona stem 21 that is integral with and extends downward from the flange 18through a bore 22 formed in the diaphragm follower plate 19.

The valve stem 17 is slidably mounted in a tapered bushing 23 that ispress-fitted into a tapered counterbore 24 provided therefor in thecasing 9. The bushing 23 extends from a chamber 25 above the diaphragm11 through a chamber 26 formed in the casing 9 to an atmospheric chamber27 also in this casing and is providedwith a plurality of arcuatelyarranged ports 28, two of which appear in FIG. 1, that at one end openinto the chamber 26 and at the other end, while the valve stem 17occupies the position shown, open intermediate the ends of an elongatedperipheral annular groove 29 provided on this stem 17 intermediate theends thereof. An O-ring seal 30 is reciprocable within and relative tothe groove 29 so as to serve as a valve in the manner hereinafterexplained to control communication between the chamber 26, into whichthe branch pipe 7 opens via a choke 31 and a passageway 32, and thechamber 25.

The chamber 25 is in constant communication with a quick service volume33 formed in the casing 9 and, while the annular valve 14 is unseatedfrom the beads 15 and 16, is open to atmosphere via an exhaust choke 34and a passageway 35 that extends through the casing 9 and opens at theexterior thereof.

The valve stem 17 is provided with a slot or groove 36 that is locatedthereon just below the elongated peripheral annular groove 29 and at itslower end opens into the chamber 25 into which extends a plurality ofarcuately spaced stop ribs 37, two of which appear in FIG. 1 of thedrawing, that are integral with the casing 9. These ribs 37 serve tolimit the upward movement of the valve stem 17 and the flange 18integral therewith.

The brake control valve device 3 comprises a service portion 38 and anemergency portion 39 which are the same in construction and operation asthe service and emergency portions of the hereinbefore-mentioned ABDbrake control valve device except the emergency portion 39 is modifiedin a manner now to be explained. I

The emergency portion 39 comprises a body 40 that is identical to thebody of the emergency portion of the ABD brake control valve deviceexcept that it is provided with an additional passageway 41 that at oneend opens at the exterior of the body 40. One end of thehereinbefore-mentioned .pipe 13 is connected to this one end of thepassageway 41 which extends through the body 40 and at its opposite endopens into a chamber 42 provided in this body 40.

The chamber 42 is identical to a chamber provided in the emergencyportion of the ABD brake control valve device. This chamber in the bodyof the emergency portion of the ABD brake control valve device is opento atmosphere via a passageway having therein a choke. I

The brake control valve device 3 is provided with a quick action chamber43 and the outer periphery of an annular diaphragm 44 is clamped betweenthe upper endof the body 40 of the emergency portion 39 of the brakecontrol valve 3 and a cover member 45 secured to the body 40 by anysuitable means (not shown). The inner periphery of the diaphragm 44 isclamped between a diaphragm follower 46 that is integral with anemergency valve stem 47 and a diaphragm follower plate 48 by a cap screw49 that extends through a smooth bore in the diaphragm follower plate 48and has screw-threaded engagement with a screw-threaded bottomed bore inthe emergency valve stem 47. This valve stem 47 is provided with arecess in which is received an emergency graduating valve 50. The abovedescribed construction of the emergency portion 39 is identical to thatof the emergency portion of the aforementioned ABD brake control valvedevice. Furthermore, the upper side of the diaphragm 44 issubject to thepressure in the brake pipe 1 and the lower side is subject to thepressure in the quick action chamber 43 as is the diaphragm in theemergency portion of the ABD brake control valve device.

In both the ABD brake control valve device and the brake control valvedevice 3, when the pressure in the train brake pipe is reduced at aservice rate, fluid under pressure is released from the upper side ofthe diaphragm 44 at a service rate to cause the fluid under pressurepresent in the quick action chamber 43 and effective on the lower sideof the diaphragm 44 to deflect this diaphragm upward. This upwarddeflection of the diaphragm 44 moves the emergency valve stem 47 andemergency graduating valve 50 upward to the position shown in FIG. 1. Inthis position of the emergency graduating valve 50, fluid under pressurecan flow from the quick action chamber 43 and the lower side of thediaphragm 44 through a port 51 in the graduating valve 50 and a port 52in the graduating valve seat to the hereinbefore-mentioned chamber 42.

As stated above, this chamber 42 in the body of the emergency portion ofthe standard ABD brake control valve device is open to atmosphere via apassageway and a choke disposed in this passageway. In the body 40 ofthe emergency portion 39 shown in FIG. 1, this choke is replaced by ascrew-threaded plug 53. Therefore, the fluid under pressure that issupplied from the quick action chamber 43 to the chamber 42, while theemergency graduating valve 50 occupies the position shown in FIG. 1,will flow from the chamber 42 in the body 40 of the emergency portion 39to the chamber 12 in the quick service valve device 8 via the passageway41 and the pipe and passageway 13 to cause operation of this valvedevice 8 in a manner hereinafter described.

In order to release fluid under pressure from the chamber 12 in thequick service valve device 8 to atmosphere,'one end of a pipe 54 isconnected to the pipe 13 intermediate the ends thereof. The opposite endof this pipe 54 is connected to the inlet side of a choke 55. It shouldbe noted that the size of this choke 55 must be the same as the chokeused in theemergency valve body of the emergency portion of the ABDbrake control valve device and replaced by the screw-threaded plug 53 inthe body 40 of the emergency portion 39 of the brake control valvedevice 3. Since the size of the choke 55 is selected to be the same asthat of the choke used in the emergency valve body of the emergencyportion of the standard ABD brake control valve device, fluid underpressure can be released from the quick action chamber 43 and the lowerside of the diaphragm 44 via this choke 55 at the same rate as fluidunder pressure is released from the quick action chamber and the lowerside of the diaphragm of the emergency portion of the standard ABD valvedevice to prevent the emergency portion 39 of the brake control valvedevice 3 from effecting an emergency brake application.

The outlet side of the above-mentioned choke 55 is connected by a shortpipe 56 to the inlet side of a spring-loaded one-way flow check valve 57it being noted that the spring used-to load the check valve 57 is a verylight spring. The outlet of the check valve 57 is open to atmosphere viaa pipe 58.

In order to prevent the check valve 57 from retaining any pressure inthe chamber 12 of the quick service valve device 8 or interfering withthe required operation of the emergency portion 39 of the brake controlvalve device 3, a choke 59 is connected in by-passing relation to thecheck valve 57 by having its inlet connected by a pipe 60 to the pipe 56and its outlet con-- nected by a pipe 61 to the pipe 58.

The size of the choke S9 is less than that of the choke 55. However,this choke 59 must be of sufficient size to permit any leakage offluidunder pressure that may occur between the emergency graduatingvalve 50 and its seat into the chamber 42, which is connected to thechamber 12 in the quick service valve device 8 via passageway 41 andpipe and passageway 13, to escape from this chamber 42 to atmosphere viathis choke 59 without building up the pressure in the chamber 12sufflciently to cause an undesired operationof the quick service valvedevice 8.

OPERATION FIG. 1

INITIAL CHARGING Let it be assumed that a railway freight car providedwith the brake control valve device 3 and the continual quick servicevalve device 8, shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, has been coupled into atrain of cars, and that a handle of an engineers brake valve device (notshown) located on the locomotive coupled to the head end of the train isin its release position. Therefore,

, while the handle of the engineers brake valve device is in its releaseposition, the engineer's brake valve device will effect the supply offluid under pressure to the train brake pipe and therefore to the brakepipe 1 to charge the brake pipe to a preselected normal charged valuewhich, for example, may be pounds per square inch.

Fluid under pressure supplied to the brake pipe 1 will flow via thebranch pipe 2 to the brake control valve device 3 to cause it to operatein the usual well-known manner of the ABD brake control valve device toeffect a release of the brakes on the car and to charge the auxiliaryreservoir 4 and the emergency reservoir 5 to the pressure carried in thebrake pipe 1.

Fluid under pressure supplied to the brake pipe 1 will flow therefrom tothe chamber 26 in the quick service valve device 8 via the branch pipe7, choke 31, and passageway 32 to charge the chamber 26 to thehereinbefore-mentioned preselected normal charged value. Assuming thatthe O-ring seal 30 is disposed at the lower end of the elongated groove29, fluid under pressure will flow from the chamber 26 through the ports28 in the bushing 23 to act on the top of the O-ring seal 30 to maintainit in the position shown.

At this time the chamber 12 in the quick service valve device 8 is opento atmosphere via passageway and pipe 13, pipe 54, choke 55, pipe 56,check valve 57 and pipe 58, and also via pipe 60, choke 59, and pipe 61that provide a by-pass around the check valve 57 so that no fluid underpressure is retained in the chamber 12.

With fluid under pressure thus completely vented from chamber 12, thediaphragm 11 and the annular valve 14 will occupy the position shown inFIG. 1 in which the annular valve 14 is unseated from the two concentricannular valve seats 15 and 16. Consequently, the quick service volume 33is open to atmosphere via the chamber 25, choke 34 and passageway 35 sothat atmospheric pressure is present in the quick service volume 33.

FULL SERVICE APPLICATION OF BRAKES Assume that the brake equipment shownin FIG. 1 of the drawings is the brake equipment on a freight car in atrain of cars being hauled by a locomotive, and let it be supposed thatthe engineer desires to effect a full service brake application on thetrain.

To manually effect a full service brake application on a train, theengineer will move the handle of the engineers brake valve device on thelocomotive arcuately from its release position to its full serviceposition in a service zone.

When the handle of the brake valve device is moved to its full serviceposition in the service zone, the brake valve device operates to ventfluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1 to atmosphere at a servicerate until the pressure in the brake pipe 1 is reduced to acorresponding degree.

As the pressure in the brake pipe 1 is reduced at a service rate, theservice portion 38 of the brake control valve device 3 operates in theusual well-known manner to effect an initial quick service reduction inbrake pipe pressure and a full service brake application on the freightcar on which brake control valve device 3 is installed. Also, as thepressure in the brake pipe 1 is reduced by flow therefrom to atmospherevia the branch pipe 2, brake pipe 1 and the engineers brake valve deviceon the locomotive, fluid under pressure will flow from the upper side ofthe diaphragm 44 in the emergency portion 39 of the brake control valvedevice 3 since the upper side of this diaphragm 44 is subject to brakepipe pressure as is the upper side of the diaphragm in the emergencyportion of the ABD valve device. Consequently, as brake pipe pressureacting on the upper side of the diaphragm 44 is reduced, the fluid underpressure present in the quick action chamber 43 and acting on the lowerside of this diaphragm 44 will deflect this diaphragm upward to move theemergency valve stem 47 and the emergency graduating valve 50 to theposition in which they are shown in FIG. 1.

While the emergency graduating valve 50 occupies the position shown inFIG. 1, fluid under pressure flows from the quick action chamber 43through the port 51 in this graduating valve 50 and the port 52 in thevalve seat to the chamber 42 in the body 40 of the emergency portion 39and thence to the chamber 12 in the quick service valve device 8 viapassageway 41 and pipe and passageway 13. It will be noted that the pipe13 is open to atmosphere via pipe 54, choke 55, check valve 57 and pipe58 and also via the choke 59 which is connected in parallel relation tothe check valve 57. These chokes 55 and 59 and the check valve 57sufficiently restrict the flow of fluid under pressure from the pipe 13to atmosphere to cause a buildup of pressure in the chamber 12 of thequick service valve device 8. However, it should be remembered thatfluid under pressure from the lower side of diaphragm 44 and the quickaction chamber 43 is released to atmosphere via the chokes 55 and 59 andthe check valve 57 at the same rate as fluid under pressure is releasedfrom the upper side of diaphragm 44. Consequently, the emergencygraduating valve remains in the position shown in FIG. 1 and is notmoved to its emergency position to cause an undesired emergency brakeapplication.

As the fluid under pressure supplied to the chamber 12 in the quickservice valve device 8 increases the pressure therein, it acts over theentire effective area of the lower side of the diaphragm 11 tosimultaneously move the annular valve 14 and the valve stem 17 upwarduntil the annular valve 14 is moved into seating contact with theconcentric annular valve seats 15 and 16. This movement of the annularvalve 14 into seating contact with the concentric annular valve seats 15and 16 closes communication between the quick service volume 33 andatmosphere via the exhaust choke 34 and passageway 35.

Subsequent to movement of the annular valve 14 into seating contact withthe concentric annular valve seats 15 and 16, the continuing buildup ofpressure in the chamber 12 acts over the effective area of the lowerside of the diaphragm 11 within the annular valve seat 16, it beingnoted that this effective area may be, for example, one half of theentire effective area of the lower side of the diaphragm 11. Thiscontinued buildup of pressure within the chamber 12 and acting on thereduced effective area of the diaphragm 11 will deflect this portion ofthe diaphragm l1 upward to move the valve stem 17 and flange l8 integraltherewith upward until this flange l8 abuts the stop ribs 37.

As the valve stem 17 is moved upward in the manner described above, theO-ring seal 30 carried in the lower end of the elongated peripheralannular groove 29 will be moved upward past the plurality of parts 28 inthe bushing 23. When the O-ring seal 30 is moved upward past these ports28, the fluid under pressure supplied to the chamber 26 from the brakepipe 1 will flow through the ports 28 and move this O-ring seal 30 tothe upper end of the elongated groove 29. Fluid under pressure will nowflow from the brake pipe 1 to the quick service volume 23 via the branchpipe 7, choke 31, passageway 32, chamber 26, ports 28, grooves 29 and 36and chamber 25.

The fluid under pressure thus supplied to the chamber 25 and the quickservice volume 33 acts on the upper side of that portion of thediaphragm 11 within the annular valve seat 16, it being remembered thatthe effective area of this portion of the diaphragm within the annularvalve seat 16 may be, for example, substantially one half the effectivearea of the lower side of the diaphragm 11 which is subject to thepressure in the chamber 12. Consequently, fluid under pressure will flowfrom the brake pipe 1 to the chamber 25 and the quick service volume 33until the pressure therein is, for example, substantially twice thepressure in the chamber 12.

When the pressure in the chamber'25 and the quick service volume 33 is,for example, substantially twice or slightly in excess of twice thepressure in the chamber 12, the resulting fluid pressure force acting ina downward direction on the effective area of that portion of thediaphragm 11 within the annular valve seat 16 will deflect this portionof the diaphragm downward to effect unseating of the annular valve 14from the two concentric annular valve seats 15 and 16.

lt may be noted that since the O-ring seal 30 at this time occupies aposition at the upper end of the groove 29, as aforestated, thecommunication between the chamber 26 and the quick service volume 33remains open via ports 28, that portion of the groove 29 below theO-ring seal 30, groove 36 and chamber 25, as that portion of thediaphragm 11 within the valve seat 16 is deflected downward to move the.valve stem 17 and O- ring seal 30 downward therewith until the annularvalve 14 is unseated from the concentric annular valve seats and 16. Assoon as the annular valve 14 is unseated from the valve seats 15 and 16,the fluid under pressure in the chamber and the quick service volume 33acts over the .effective area of the entire upper side of the diaphragm11. Since the pressure in the chamber 25 ag the quick service volume 33is higher than the pressure in the chamber 12 because fluid underpressure is flowing from the chamber 12 to atmosphere at a restrictedrate via passageway and pipe 13, pipe 54, choke 55, check valve 57 andpipe 58, and also'choke 59, it is apparent that this higher pressureacting over the effective area of the entire upper side of the diaphragmll deflects this diaphragm 11 and the annular valve 14 downward with asnap action. This downward deflection of the diaphragm 11 is effectiveto move the stem 17 and O-ring seal 30, now at the upper end of thegroove 29, downward until this O-ring seal is moved below the ports 28;When the O-ring seal 30 is thus moved below the ports 28, fluid underpressure supplied'from the brake pipe 1 to the chamber 26, via thepath'hereinbefore described, flows through the ports 28 and acts on theupper side of the O-ring seal 30 to move it from the upper end of thegroove 29 to the lower end of this groove. When the O-ring seal 30 isthus moved downward to a position below the ports 28 and then to thelower end of the groove 29, it will form a seal with the wall surface ofthe bushing 23 to prevent further flow of fluid under pressure from thechamber 26 to the quick service volume 33.

Moreover, as soon as the annular valve 14 is unseated from the valveseats 15 and 16, fluid under pressure is released from the quick servicevolume 33 to atmosphere via chamber 25, choke 34 and passageway 35 at arate controlled by the size of the choke 34. It will be noted that,since the annular valve 14 is now unseated from the annular valve seats15 and 16, the fluid under pressure acting on the effective area of theentire upper side of the diaphragm 11 is released to atmosphere via thechoke 34 and passageway 35 simultaneously as the fluid under pressure inthe quick service volume 33 is released to atmosphere. Therefore, thefluid pressure force acting on the effective area of the entire upperside of the diaphragm 11 is quickly reduced to such a value that thefluid under pressure flowing to the chamber 12 from the quick actionchamber 43, assuming that the brake control valve device 3 has not movedto lap position, is able to establish a fluid pressure force that actsin an upward direction on the effective area of the lower side of thediaphragm 11 that is in excess of the reducing fluid pressure forceacting on the effective area of the entire upper side of this diaphragm.

deflect this diaphragm upward until the annular valve 14 is seated onthe concentric annular valve seats 15 and 16 to thereby closecommunication between the quick service volume 33 and atmosphere.

Subsequent to this seating of the annular valve 14 on the concentricvalve seats 15 and 16, the fluid under pressure being supplied from thequick action chamber 43 to the chamber 12 acts on the effective area ofthe 'lower side of the diaphragm 11 and within the annular valve seat 16to deflect this portion of the diaphragm ll upward to move the valvestem 17 and the O-ring seal 30 that now occupies a position at the lowerend of the groove 29 upward until this O-ring seal 30 is moved to aposition above the ports 28 in the bushing 23.

When the O-ring seal 30 is thus moved to a position above the ports 28,the fluid under pressure supplied to the chamber 26 from the brake pipe1 flows through the ports 28 and acts on the lower side of the O-ringseal 30 to move it to the upper end of the groove 29.

Moreover, the above-mentioned upward deflection of that portion of thediaphragm 16 within the annular valve seat 11 continues until the flange18 on the stem 17 abuts the stop ribs 37. in this position of the stem17 and the O-ring seal 30, which is now at the upper end of the groove29, fluid under pressure supplied from the brake pipe 1 to the chamber26 will flow to the quick service volume 33 via ports 28, that portionof the groove 29 below the O-ring seal 30, groove 36 and chamber 25.

This supply of fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1 to the quickservice volume 33 will cause the quick service valve device 8 to operatein the manner hereinbefore described to first vent fluid under pressurefrom the brake pipe 1 to the quick service volume 33 and then releasethis fluid under pressure to atmosphere via the choke 34 and passageway35.

It is apparent from the foregoing description of operation of thecontinual quick service valve device 8 that this valve device willoperate to repeatedly supply fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1to the quick service volume 33 and then release this fluid underpressure to atmosphere so long as the control valve device 3 remains inits service position so that the emergency graduating valve 50 and thevalve stem 47 in the emergency portion 39 of this control valve device 3occupy the position shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. This repeatedsupply of fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1 to the quickservice chamber 33 is effective to cause a local quick service ventingof fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1 to atmosphere and areduction of the pressure in the train brake pipe to effect quickservice transmission through the train brake pipe of a pressurereduction wave.

When the pressure in the train brake pipe has been reduced to the valuecorresponding to a full service brake application, fluid under pressurewill no longer be released from the train brake pipe via the engineer'sbrake valve device on the locomotive. Consequently, the brake controlvalve device 3, and likewise the brake control valve device on each carin the train, will move from its service position to its lap position.

Upon cessation of the release at a service rate of fluid under pressurefrom the train brake pipe and therefore the upper side of the diaphragm44 of the emergency portion 39 of the brake control valve device 3, theflow of fluid under pressure from the quick action chamber 43 and thelower side of the diaphragm 44 to atmosphere via port 51 in theemergency graduating valve 50, port 52 in the seat of this graduatingvalve, passageway 41, pipes 13 and 54, choke 55, pipe 56, check valve 57and pipe 58 will quickly reduce the pressure acting on the lower side ofthe diaphragm 44 below that acting on the upper side, whereupon thisdiaphragm will be deflected downward to move the valve stem 47 andemergency graduating valve 50 downward from their service position inwhich they are shown in FIG. 1 to their service lap position in whichthe port 51 in the valve 50 no longer registers with the port 52 in theseat of this valve, thus cutting off flow of fluid under pressure fromthe quick action chamber 43 to the chamber 12 in the quick service valvedevice 8.

When the supply of fluid under pressure to the chamber 12 is thusterminated, the fluid under pressure remaining in this chamber will flowto atmosphere via passageway and pipe 13, pipe 54, choke 55, pipe 56,check valve 57, and pipe 58 until this pressure is reduced to such avalue that the check valve 57 is seated. Subsequent to the seating ofcheck valve 57, the fluid under pressure remaining in the chamber 12will flow to atmosphere via the choke 59 which is connected inby-passing relation to the check valve 57.

When the supply of fluid under pressure to the chamber 12 is terminatedand the fluid under pressure in this chamber vented in the mannerdescribed above, the continual quick service valve device 8 will ceaseto operate to repeatedly vent fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1to the quick service volume 33 and thereafter vent this fluid underpressure from the volume 33 to atmosphere in the manner described above.

RELEASE OF A FULL SERVICE APPLICATION OF BRAKES To effect a release of afull service application of brakes, the engineer will move the handle ofthe brake valve device on the locomotive from its full service positionback to its release position whereupon this valve device will effect thesupply of fluid under pressure to the train brake pipe and therefore tothe brake pipe 1 to charge the train brake pipe to thehereinbefore-mentioned preselected normal charged value.

The fluid under pressure thus supplied to the brake pipe 1 will causethe brake control valve device 3 to effect a release of the brakes inthe usual well-known manner.

INITIAL PARTIAL SERVICE APPLICATION OF BRAKES To manually effect aninitial partial service application of brakes on a train, the engineerwill move the As the pressure in the brake pipe I is reduced, the brakecontrol valve device 3 operates in the usual wellknown manner to effectan initial quick service reduction in brake pipe pressure and an initialpartial service brake application on the freight car on which the brakecontrol valve 3 is installed, the degree of the partial service brakeapplication corresponding to the degree of reduction of pressureeffected in the brake pipe 1.

When the brake control valve device 3 is moved to its service position,the emergency portion 39 thereof operates in the manner hereinbeforedescribed to effect the supply of fluid under pressure from the quickaction chamber 43 to the chamber 12 in the quick service valve device 8until the brake control valve device 3 moves to its lap position.

So long as fluid under pressure is supplied from the quick actionchamber 43 to the chamber 12, the continual quick service valve device 8will operate repeatedly in the manner hereinbefore described to effectthe supply of fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1 to the quickservice volume 33 and thereafter vent this fluid under pressure fromthis volume 33 to atmosphere.

SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICE APPLICATION OF BRAKES Let it be supposed thatsubsequent to effecting an initial partial service application of brakeson the train, the engineer desires to effect a supplemental servicebrake application to increase the degree of the service brakeapplication. To do so, he will move the handle of the engineers brakevalve device arcuately from the position it occupies in its service zonein a direction away from its release position to another position inthis zone corresponding to the degree of service brake application nowdesired on the train. When the handle is thus moved from the oneposition to another in the service zone, the brake valve device operatesto again vent fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1 to atmosphereuntil the pressure therein is reduced a corresponding degree.

As the pressure in the brake pipe 1 is thus further reduced, the brakecontrol valve device 3 operates in the usual well-known manner from itslap position to its service position whereupon the emergency portion 39will again operate to effect the supply of fluid under pressure from thequick action chamber 43 to the chamber 12 in the quick service valvedevice 8 until the brake control valve device 3 again moves to its lapposition.

The continual quick service valve device 8 will operate in response tothis fluid under pressure supplied to its chamber 12 in the same manneras hereinbefore described to repeatedly effect the supply of fluid underpressure from the brake pipe 1 to the quick service volume 33 andthereafter vent this fluid under pressure to atmosphere.

DESCRIPTION FIG. 2

FIG. 2 of the drawings shows a partial view of a continual quick servicevalve device 62 constituting a second embodiment of the invention. Quickservice valve device 62 is identical in construction to the quickservice valve device 8 except the valve stem 17 having thereon thegroove 29 and the O-ring seal 30 carried in the groove 29 is replaced bya valve stem 63 which has a lostemotion connection with a cylindricalvalve member 64 that is slidably and sealably mounted in the bushing 23,and a different casing 65 is provided that has formed therein apassageway 66 that at one end opens into the quick service volume 33 andat the other opens into a bottomed bore 67 in this casing, it beingnoted that this bottomed bore 67 is coaxial with the bushing 23.

Since the continual quick service valve devices 8 and 62 shownrespectively in FIGS. 1 and 2 are identical in construction, except aspointed out above and hereinafter described in detail, for convenience,only that portion of the valve device 62 that is different inconstruction from the valve device 8 is shown in FIG. 2, andcorresponding parts of the two quick service valve devices areidentified by the same reference numerals without additionaldescription.

The above-mentioned lost-motion connection between the valve stem 63 andthe valve member 64 is constituted by the lower end of the valve member64,

which is of reduced diameter, being disposed in a bottomed bore 68formed in the stem 63 and connected thereto by a pin 69 extendingthrough a bore 70 of larger diameter than the pin 69 which bore. 70 isformed inthe portion of reduced diameter at the lower end of the valvemember 64, the pin 69 having its' opposite ends anchored in the stem 63.v

The cylindrical valve member 64 is provided with a pair of spaced-apartperipheral annular grooves in each of which is disposed an O-ring seal71. While the valve member 64 occupies the position in which it is shownin FIG. 2, the two O-ring seals 71 respectively form a seal with thewall surface of the bushing 23 above and below the ports 28 in thisbushing to prevent the flow of fluid under pressure from the chamber26to the bottomed bore 67 andto the chamber 25.

It will be noted thatthe passageway 66 provides for 7 always subjectingthe opposite ends of the cylindrical valve member 64 to the pressure inthe quick service volume 33 so that this valve member is balanced.Consequently, the force required to move this valve member 64 is onlythat required to overcome the friction between the'two -O rings'71 andthe wall surface of the bushing 23.

OPERATION FIG. 2

In operation, when fluid under pressure is supplied from the quickaction chamber 43 to the chamber 12 below the diaphragm 11 in the samemanner as hereinbefore described for the first embodiment of theinvention, the diaphragm 11 will be deflected upward to move the annularvalve 14 and the valve stem 63 upw ward until this valve 14 is movedinto seating contact ing contact with the concentric annular valve seats15 and 16, the continuing buildup of pressure in the chamber 12 andacting over the effective area of the lower side of the diaphragm l 1within the annular valve seat 16 will deflect this portion of thediaphragm 11 upward to move the valve stem 63, flange 18 and valvemember 64 upward from the position shown in FIG. 2 until this flange 18abuts the stop ribs 37.

When the flange l8 abuts the ribs 37, the lower 0- ring seal 71 carriedby valve member 64 will form a seal with the wall surface of the bushing23 at a location above the ports 28 in this bushing.

Accordingly, when this lower O-ring seal 71 carried by valve member 64is moved to a position above the ports 28 in the bushing 23, fluid underpressure will flow from the chamber 26, which is connected to the brakepipe 1 as in the first embodiment of the invention, to the quick servicevolume 33 via ports 28, the interior of the bushing 23 below the lowerO-ring seal 71, the groove 36 on stem 63 and chamber 25.

This supply of fluid under pressure to the chamber 25 and quick servicevolume 33 will increase the pres sure therein until, as in the firstembodiment of the invention, the resulting fluid pressure force actingin a downward direction on the effective area of that portion of thediaphragm 11 within the annular valve seat 16 deflects this portion ofthe diaphragm 1 l downward.

' As this portion of the diaphragm 11 is thus deflected downward, thevalve stem 63 and pin 69 are moved downward therewith.

It will be remembered that the lower O-ring seal 71 carried by the valvemember 64 at this'time occupies a position in which it forms a seal withthe wall of the bushing 23 at a location above the ports 28 in thisbushing, so that the communication between the chamber 26 and the quickservice volume 33 is open. Furthermore, it will be remembered that thediameter of the bore 70 is greater than the diameter of the pin 69.Therefore, the communication between the chamber 26 and the quickservice volume 33 remains open as that portion of the diaphragm 11within the valve seat 16 is deflected downward to move the valve stem 63downward. The diameter of the bore 70 is sufficiently larger than thediameter of the pin 69 to permit sufficient downward deflection of thatportion of the diaphragm 11 within the valve seat 16 to unseat the valve14 from the annular valve seats 15 and 16 before the valve member 64 'ismoved from the position in which the lower O'ring seal 71 carriedthereby forms a seal with the wall surface of the bushing 23 at alocation above the ports 28 in this bushing.

As soon as the valve 14 is unseated from the valve seats 15 and 16, thefluid under pressure in the chamber 25 and'quick service volume 33 actsover the effective area of the entire upper side of the diaphragm llwhereupon, as in the first embodiment of the invention, this diaphragml1, annular valve 14 and stem 63 are deflected downward with a snapaction.

As the stem 63 is thus moved downward, as soon as pin 69, which has itsopposite ends anchored in this stern, contacts the wall surface of thebore 70, this pin 69 is effective to move the valve member 64 downwardwith the stme 63 so that the lower O-ring seal 71 carried by member 64is moved downward to a position in which it forms a seal with the wallsurface of the bushing 23 at a location below the ports 28 in thisbushing thereby terminating flow of fluid under pressure from the brakepipe 1 to the quick service volume 33.

Except as noted above, the construction and operation of the continualquick service valve device 62 is the same as that of the continual quickservice valve device 8. Consequently, the quick service valve device 62will operate to repeatedly first supply fluid under pressure from thebrake pipe 1 to the quick service volume 33 therein and then releasethis fluid under pressure to atmosphere so long as the control valvedevice 3 remains in its service position.

DESCRIPTION FIG. 3

In FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is shown a fluid pressure brakeequipment that is the same as the brake equipment shown in FIG. 1 exceptthe continual quick service valve device 8 shown in FIG. 1 is replacedby a continual quick service valve device 72 which is constructed inaccordance with a third embodiment of the invention. The continual quickservice value device 72 comprises a pair of casing sections 73 and 74secured together by a pair of stud bolts 75 and nuts 76, the peripheryof an annular, flat, flexible, diaphragm 77 being clamped therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lower side of the casing section 73 is providedwith an inverted cup-shaped cavity 78, the upper wall of which hasformed thereon an annular bead that constitutes a valve seat 79 for anannular valve 80 that is constructed of some flexible material such as,for example, rubber. The lower side of the annular valve 80 is secured,as by bonding, to the upper side of a metallic disc 81, the lower sideof which is secured, as by bonding, to the upper side of the diaphragm77. l

The larger end of a cylindrical valve stem 82 having two portions ofunequal diameter may abut or be secured, as by a press fit, to the upperside of the disc 81, that portion of larger diameter being slidably andsealably mounted in a wear bushing 83 that is pressfitted into acounterbore 84 provided therefor in the casing sections 73. Thiscounterbore 84 is coaxial with a second counterbore 85 and a bore 86 inthe casing section 73. The bore 86 has formed at the upper end thereofan annular valve seat 87 that projects into a counterbore 88 thatextends downward from the top of the casing section 73 and is coaxialwith the bore 86. The upper end of the counterbore 88 is closed by acover member 89 that is secured to the top of the casing' section 73 asby a plurality of stud bolts 90 and nuts 91 only one of which appears inFIG. 3.

The casing section 73 is provided with a first passageway 92, one end ofwhich opens at the wall surface of the counterbore 88. Connected to theopposite end of this passageway 92 is one end of the branch pipe 7which, as in the first embodiment of the invention, is connected to thebrake pipe 1. The cover member 89 together with the wall surface of thecounterbore 88 cooperate to form a chamber 93 in which is disposed aflat, resilient disc valve 94 that is carried in the lower end of acup-shaped piston 95 that is slidably mounted in a bottomed bore 96provided in the cover member 89. A spring 97 is interposed between thecup-shaped piston 95 and the upper end of the bottomed bore 96 tonormally yieldingly bias the valve 94 into contact with the valve seat87.

Opening at the wall surface of the counterbore a short distance belowthe lower end of the coaxial bore 86 is one end of a passageway 98 thatextends through the casing section 73 to the exterior thereof and isconnected by a correspondingly numbered pipe to one end of a reservoir99 that constitutes a quick service volume corresponding to the quickservice volume 33 in the quick service valve device 8. Connected to theother end of this reservoir 99 is one end of a pipe 100 that isconnected to a correspondingly numbered passageway that is provided inthe casing section 74 and has an annular valve seat 101 formed at theend thereof.

One side of a flat resilient check valve 102 is adapted to engage theannular valve seat 101 and the other side of this valve is secured, asby bonding, to the upper side of a flat metallic plate 103 that has itslower side secured, as by bonding, to the upper side of a flat resilientdiaphragm 104. The outer periphery of the diaphragm 104 is clampedbetween the lower side of the casing section 74 and a lower cover 105that is secured to the lower end of the casing section 74 by a pluralityof screws 106 two of which appear in FIG. 3.

The lower cover 105 is provided with a bore 107 and a coaxialcounterbore 108 that are coaxial with the annular valve seat 101.

Disposed in the counterbore 108 and interposed between the lower endthereof and the lower side of the diaphragm 104 is a spring 109 that isnormally effective to bias the check valve 102 against the annular valveseat 101 to close communication between the passageway 100 and anannular chamber 110 that is formed by the cooperative relationship ofthe diaphragm 104 and the casing section 74 and is disposed insurrounding relation to the annular valve seat 101.

Opening into the chamber 110 is one end of a passageway 11 1 thatextends through the casing section 74 and has its other end open to theexterior thereof. Connected to this exterior end of the passageway 1 11is one end of a pipe 112 that has its opposite end connected to acorrespondingly numbered passageway that extends through the casingsection 73 and opens into cavity 78 in this casing section within theannular valve seat 79. Also opening into the cavity 78 and on theoutside of the annular valve seat 79 is one end of a passageway 113 thatextends through the casing section 73 to the exterior thereof. A choke114 is disposed in the exterior end of the passageway 113 to restrictthe rate of flow of fluid under pressure from this passageway toatmosphere for a purpose hereinafter made apparent.

As shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the casing section 74 is providedwith a passageway 115 that at one end opens into a bottomed bore 116provided in the upper end of this casing section. The other end of thispassageway 115 opens at the exterior of the casing section 74 and hasone end of the hereinbefore-mentioned pipe 13 connected thereto. It willbe understood that the other end of this pipe 13 is connected to thepassageway 41 (FIG. 1) in the emergency portion 39 of the brake controlvalve device 3, as shown in FIG. 1.

Disposed in the bottom bore 116 (FIG. 3) is a shallow cup-shaped member117, the bottom of which is provided with an annular groove in which isdisposed an O-ring seal 118 that forms a seal with the bottom of thebottomed bore 116. The upper side of the cupshaped member 117 isprovided with an annular valve seat 119, the diameter of which is lessthan the diameter of the hereinbefore-mentioned annular valve seat 79.Coaxial with and disposed with the annular valve seat 1 19'is a bore 120that extends through the member 117. This bore 120 at its lower endregisters with the hereinbefore-mentioned one end of the passageway 115.The member 117 is further provided with a second bore 121 that at itsupper end, as shown in FIG. 3, opens at the outside of the annular valveseat 119. The lower end of the bore 121 registers with one end of apassageway 122 that extends through the casing section 74 to theexterior thereof and has a choke 123 therein to restrict the rate offlow of fluid under pressure from this passageway to atmosphere for apurpose hereinafter made apparent.

It will be noted from FIG. 3 that the pipe 13 is connected to the inletof a choke 55a by the pipe 54. The

size of the choke 55a is less than that of the choke 55 shown in FIG. 1for a reason hereinafter made apparent. Consequently, the lower side ofthe diaphragm 77 within the annular valve seat 119 is always open toatmosphere via bore 120, passageway 115, pipes 13 and S4, choke 55a,pipe 56, check valve 57 and pipe 58. A spring 124 that is interposedbetween the disc 81 and the casing section 73 is effective to normallybias the diaphragm 77 against this valve seat 119. Likewise, an annularchamber 125 formed by the cooperative relationship of the diaphragm 77and the annular member 117 and disposed in surrounding relation to theannular valve seat 119 is open to atmosphere via the bore 121,passageway 122 and choke 123.

OPERATION FIG. 3

As in the previous embodiments of the invention, when the emergencygraduating valve 50 moves to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 1of the drawings, fluid under pressure will flow from the quick actionchamber 43 to the pipe 13 and thence via the passageway 115 (FIG. 3) andbore 120 to that portion of the lower side of the diaphragm 77 withinthe annular valve seat 119. When the pressure acting on the lower sideof the diaphragm 77 and within the annular valve seat 119 has increasedsufficiently to establish a fluid pressure-force that acts in an upwarddirection and is in excess of the downwardly acting force of the spring124, the diaphragm 77 will be deflected upward and out of contact withthe annular valve seat 119, it being noted that, while the parts of thequick service valve device 72 occupy the position shown in FIG. 3,

- the upper end of the valve stem 82 is disposed a short distance belowthe lower side of the valve 94 in order that the diaphragm 77 can bedeflected upward out of contact with the annular valve seat 119 withouteffecting unseating of the valve 94 from its seat 87.

As soon as the diaphragm 77 is deflected upward out of contact with theannular valve seat 1 19, the effective area of the entire lower side ofthis diaphragm is subject to the fluid under pressure being suppliedfrom the quick action chamber 43 (FIG. 1). Consequently, when theeffective area of the lower side of the diaphragm 77 (FIG. 3) is thusgreatly increased, the fluid under pressure supplied thereto from thequick action chamber 43 will deflect this diaphragm upward with a snapaction until the annular valve is moved into seating contact with theannular valve seat 79. This upward deflection of the diaphragm 77 movesthe valve stem 82 upward therewith to cause it to unseat valve 94 fromits seat 87 against the yielding resistance of the spring 97.

When the valve 94 is unseated from its seat 87 in the manner justexplained, fluid under pressure will flow from the brake pipe 1 to thequick service volume reservoir 99 via branch pipe 7, passageway 92,chamber 93, past now unseated valve 94, bore 86, counterbore 85, andpassageway and corresponding pipe 98.

The fluid under pressure thus supplied to the quick service volumereservoir 99 will flow therefrom to the area of the upper side of thecheck valve 102 within the annular valve seat 101 via pipe andpassageway 100. Consequently, when the pressure in the quick servicevolume reservoir 99 and acting on the upper side of the check valve 102within the annular valve seat 101 is increased sufficiently to establisha fluid pressure force that exceeds the force of the spring 109, thecheck valve 102 will be unseated from its seat 101.

When the check valve 102 is thus unseated from the seat 101, fluid underpressure will flow from the quick service volume reservoir 99 to thechamber 1 l0 and act over the effective area of the entire upper side ofthe diaphragm 104 to deflect this diaphragm downward with a snap actionagainst the yielding resistance of the spring 109 until the fluidpressure force acting on the upper side of the diaphragm 104 is balancedby the force of the spring 109 acting on the lower side.

Fluid under pressure supplied to the chamber 110 in the manner justexplained will flow therefrom to the area of the valve 80 within theannular valve seat 79 via the passageway 1 1 1 and pipe and passageway 112.

Since the diaphragm 77 is now unseated from the annular valve seat 119,fluid under pressure at this time is being released at a restricted ratefrom the chamber below this diaphragm to atmosphere via the bore- 121,passageway 122 and choke 123. t

Furthermore, fluid under pressure at this time is being released at arestricted rate from this chamber 125 to atmosphere via the bore 120,passageway 115, pipes 13 and 54, choke 55a, pipe 56, check valve 57 andpipe 58, and also via the choke 59. The sizes of the chokes 123 and 55aare such that, as in the previous embodiments of the invention, thefluid under pressure that is flowing from the quick action chamber 43(FIG. 1) to the chamber 125 is released to atmosphere at the same rateas fluid under pressure is released from the upper side of the diaphragm44 of the emergency portion 39 so that this emergency portion does notmove to its emergency position to cause an undesired emergency brakeapplication.

Since fluid under pressure is now being released from the chamber 125and the lower side of the diaphragm 77 to atmosphere at a restrictedrate in the manner just described, it is apparent that the fluid underpressure supplied from the quick service volume 99 to the area of thevalve 80 within the annular valve seat 79 will quickly establish a fluidpressure force that acts in a downward direction which force, togetherwith the force of the spring 124, exceeds the now decreasing fluidpressure force acting in an upward direction on the lower side of thediaphragm 77. Therefore, the valve 80 will be moved downward out ofseating contact with the annular valve seat 79.

When the valve 80 is thus unseated from valve seat 79, the fluid underpressure being supplied from the quick service volume reservoir 99 willact on the effective area of the entire upper side of the diaphragm 77whereupon valve 80 and diaphragm 77 will be deflected downward with asnap action until the lower side of this diaphragm 77 abuts the annularvalve seat 119.

When the diaphragm 77 is thus deflected downward, the valve stem 82 ismoved downward therewith whereupon the spring 97 is rendered effectiveto move the piston 95 and valve 94 downward until this valve 94 isseated on its seat 87 to thereby terminate flow of fluid under pressurefrom the brake pipe 1 to the quick service volume reservoir 99.

It will be noted from FIG. 3 that this fluid under pressure from thequick service volume reservoir 99 which now acts on the effective areaof the entire upper side of the diaphragm 77 can flow to atmosphere at arestricted rate via the passageway 113 and the choke 114 therein.Consequently, fluid under pressure from the quick service volumereservoir 99 and the upper side of the diaphragm 77 will flow toatmosphere at a rate determined by the size of the choke 114 so that thefluid pressure force acting on the upper side of both the diaphragm 77and also the diaphragm 104 will be reduced. Accordingly, when the fluidpressure force acting on the upper side of the diaphragm 104 is reducedto a value slightly less than the force of the spring 109 acting upwardon this diaphragm, this spring 109 will deflect diaphragm 104 upward toseat check valve 102 on its seat 101 thereby terminating the flow offluid under pressure from the quick service volume reservoir 99 toatmosphere via the choke 114.

Subsequent to the seating of the check valve 102 on its seat 101, thefluid under pressure acting over the effective area of the entire upperside of the diaphragm 77 will flow to atmosphere via the passageway 113and the choke 114 at a restricted rate determined by the size of thischoke 114. Since the effective area of the entire upper side of thediaphragm 77 is substantially greater than the area of the lower side ofthis diaphragm within the annular valve seat 119 against which thislower side of the diaphragm is now seated, it is apparent that thepressure acting on the effective area of the entire upper side of thediaphragm 77 must be reduced to a value that is substantially less thanthe pressure acting on the lower side within the annular valve seat 119before a differential of pressure that acts in an upward direction isestablished that is great enough to overcome the downwardly acting forceof the spring 124 and the now reducing fluid pressure force of the fluidunder pressure acting on the effective area of the entire upper side ofthis diaphragm. Consequently, when the pressure acting on the effectivearea of the entire upper side of the diaphragm 77 is reduced by flow offluid under pressure to atmosphere via choke 114 to such a low valuethat the fluid under pressure acting on the lower side of this diaphragmwithin the annular valve seat 119 is able to establish a fluid pressureforce that acts in an upward direction and exceeds the sum of the fluidpressure force and the force of the spring 124 acting in a downwarddirection, this fluid pressure force acting in an upward direction willunseat the diaphragm 77 from the annular valve seat 119 whereupon theeffective area of the entire lower side of the diaphragm will be subjectto the fluid under pressure supplied thereto from the quick actionchamber 43.

When the diaphragm 77 is thus unseated from the annular valve seat 119,the effective area of the entire lower side of this diaphragm is subjectto the fluid under pressure supplied thereto from the quick actionchamber 43. Consequently, the diaphragm 77 will be deflected upward witha snap action until the valve 80 is seated on the annular valve seat 79,it being noted that the valve 94 is unseated from its seat 87 prior tomovement of the valve 80 into seating contact with the annular valveseat 79.

When the valve 94 is thus unseated, fluid under pressure will again flowfrom the brake pipe 1 to the quick service volume reservoir 99 tofurther reduce the pressure in the brake pipe l.

This flow of fluid under pressure to the quick service volume reservoir99 will cause the quick service value device 72 to operate in the mannerhereinbefore described to cause reseating of the valve 94 on its seat87.

From the foregoing description of the operation of the continual quickservice valve device 72, it is apparent that this valve device willoperate to repeatedly supply fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 1to the quick service volume reservoir 99 and then release this fluidunder pressure to atmosphere until the pressure therein is reducedsufficiently for the spring 109 to seat the check valve 102 on its seat101 so long as the control valve device 3 remains in its serviceposition and fluid under pressure is supplied from the quick actionchamber 43 to the pipe 13 and passageway in the quick service valvedevice 72.

Having now described the invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fluid pressure brake equipment, the combination of a brake pipe,an auxiliary reservoir, and a brake control valve device having a quickaction chamber, a triple valve mechanism subject to the opposingpressures of the brake pipe and auxiliary reservoir and operative toeffect service applications and releases of the brakes, an emergencyvalve mechanism subject to the opposing pressures of the brake pipe andquick action chamber and operative to effect emergency applications andrelease of the brakes, and means operative upon effecting a servicebrake application to release fluid under pressure from the quick actionchamber and a continual quick service valve device comprising:

a. a quick service volume,

b. a first valve means for controlling flow of fluid under pressure fromthe brake pipe to said quick service volume,

. a second valve means for controlling flow of fluid under pressure fromsaid quick service volume to atmosphere, and wherein the improvementcomprises:

. a movable abutment subject to the opposing pressures of the fluidunder pressure released from the quick action chamber and that in saidquick service volume, and so constructed and connected to said first andsecond valve means as to cause successive sequential operation thereofso long as one side of said abutment is subject to said fluid underpressure released from said quick action chamber.

2. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,furthercharacterized in that said first valve means includes aspool-type valve provided with a longitudinally arranged peripheralannular groove which carries an O-ring seal which, upon movement of saidvalve means to a position in which a communication is establishedbetween the brake pipe and said quick service volume, is movable byfluid under pressure from one end of said groove to the other end.

I 3. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized inthat said first valve means includes aspool-type valve provided with a longitudinally arranged peripheralannular groove that carries therein an O-ring seal which, upon movementof said valve means to a position in which a communication isestablished between the brake pipe and said quick service volume, ismovable by fluid under pressure from one end of said groove to the otherend, and which, upon subsequent movement of said valve means to aposition in which said communication between the brake pipe and saidquick service volume is closed, is movable by fluid under pressure fromsaid other end of said groove to said one end.

4. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized in that said first valve means includes acylindrical valve member, and that a lost-motion connection is providedbetween said movable abutment and said cylindrical valve member torender said cylindrical valve member operative by said movable abutmentto establish a communication between the brake pipe and said quickservice volume after said second valve means is operated thereby toclose communication between said quick service volume and atmosphere.

5. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized in that said first valve means includes acylindrical valve member that carries a pair of spaced-apart seals, andthat a lost-motion connection is provided between said movable abutmentand saidcylindrical valve member to render said cylindrical valve memberoperative by said movable abutment to establish a communication betweenthe brake pipe and said quick service volume after said second valvemeans is operated thereby to close communication between said quickservice volume and atmosphere, and to render said cylindrical valvemember operative by said movable abutment to close communication betweenthe brake pipe and said quick service volume after said second valvemeans is operated thereby to establish a communication between saidquick service volume and atmosphere.

6. A continual quick service valve device, as recited I in claim l,further characterized in that said first valve means comprises:

a. an annular valve seat.

b. a valve, c. biasing means for normally biasing said valve intoseating contact with said annular valve seat, and

d. a valve operating stem having one end abutting said movable abutment,the other end being so disposed within said annular valve seat as toeffect unseating of said valve from said seat upon movement of saidmovable abutment in one direction a chosen amount.

7. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized in that said first valve means comprises:

a. anannular valve seat,

b. a valve,

c. biasing means for normally biasing said valve into seating contactwith said annular valve seat, and

d. a valve operating stem having one end abutting said abutment, theother end being so disposed within said annular valve seat and at such adistance below said valve while seated on said seat as to effectunseating of said valve from said seat upon movement of said movableabutment in one direction before said second valve means is operatedthereby to close communication between said quick service volume andatmosphere;

8. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized in that said first valve means comprises:

a. an annular valve seat,

b. a valve,

c. biasing means for normally biasing said valve into seating contactwith said annular valve seat, and

d. a valve operating stem having one end abutting said abutment, theother end being so disposed within said annular valve seat and at sucha. distance below said valve while seated on said seat as to effectunseating of said valve from said seat as to effect unseating of saidvalve from said seat upon movement of said abutment in one directionbefore said second valve means is operated thereby to closecommunication between said quick service volume and atmosphere, and torender said biasing means effective to rcseat said valve on said seatonly subsequent to operation of said second valve means by fluid underpressure to reestablish said communication between said quick servicesvolume and atmosphere.

9. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized in that said second valve means comprises:

a. an annular valve seat, and

b. an annular valve member carried on one side of said abutment andmovable into seating contact with said seat upon subjecting the otherside of said abutment to the fluid under pressure released from thequick action chamber to effect a substantial reduction in the effectivearea of said one side of said abutment whereby the pressure subsequentlyrequired in said quick service volume and acting on the reducedeffective area of said one side of said abutment to subsequently unseatsaid annular valve member from said annular valve seat is a chosenmultiple of the pressure acting on the effective area of said other sideof said abutment.

10. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized by means operative to bleed down the fluid underpressure released from the quick action chamber.

11. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized by means operative to bleed down at a restrictedrate the fluid under pressure released from the quick action chamber,said means comprising:

a. a first choke,

b. a check valve device connected in series relation to said firstchoke, and

c. a second choke connected in by-pass relation to said check valvewhereby the fluid under pressure effective on one side of said abutmentsubsequent to the seating of said check valve device is released fromsaid one side to atmosphere via said first and said second chokes inseries.

12. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 9further characterized by means restricting flow of fluid under pressurefrom said quick service volume to atmosphere while said annular valvemember is unseated from said annular valve seat.

13. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 9,further characterized by a spring-biased check valve interposed betweensaid quick service volume and said annular valve seat whereby, uponoperating of said check valve, a chosen pressure, corresponding indegree to said spring bias, is always supplied to the area of saidannular valve member within said annular valve seat to insure unseatingof said annular valve member from said annular valve seat so long as thepressure acting on the effective area of the entire lower side of saidabutment is not in excess of a chosen value, a pressure in excess ofsaid chosen value being obtained only upon said emergency valvemechanism effecting an emergency brake application, said springbiasedcheck valve being operative to always retain a chosen pressure in saidquick service volume.

14. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 9,further characterized by means for reducing the effective area of saidother side of said abutment subject to the fluid under pressure releasedfrom the quick action chamber upon the fluid pressure force acting onsaid one side of said abutment exceeding the fluid pressure force actingon said other side.

15. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 14,further characterized by a choke for venting fluid under pressure fromsaid other side of said abutment to atmosphere at a restricted rate,said choke being so located that, subsequent to operation of said meansto reduce the effective area of said other side of said abutment that issubject to the fluid under pressure released from the quick actionchamber, it is thereafter ineffective to vent to atmosphere fluid underpressure released from the quick action chamber and effective on saidreduced effective area of said other side of said abutment.

16. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 14,further characterized by a choke for venting fluid under pressure fromsaid one side of said abutment to atmosphere at a restricted rate, saidchoke being so located that, subsequent to seating of said annular valvemember on said annular valve seat, it is thereafter ineffective to ventto atmosphere the fluid under pressure in said uick service volum eandeffew tive to vent to atmosp ere the area of the upper side without saidannular valve seat.

H050 UNITEB SKATES PATENT @FFMIE (5/69) t W n 4 CERTiFlCAi it @iQQRREC'E EUN Patent No. 3,716,276 v Dated February 139 1973 lnvehtofls)Richard L. Wilson s Daniel G. Scott It is certified that error appearsin the shoves-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

F'Column 3, line 34, "t ee" should be --t; he-- I Q v '3 Column 8 line41, "volume 23" should be ---volume 33-- Column 9, line 16, ag" shouldbe --and-- Qolusu l3 llige 2, "lostemotion" should be "lost-motion"Column 22, lines 39 8a 40 delete "as to effect unseating of said valvefrom said seat" Column 23, line 29 operating? should be --opening-Column 24, line 1, value",. first and second occurrences,

' should be "pressure" lines '2 8c 3, delete "upon said emergency valvemechanism effecting" and insert --when the rate of bz'fiakepipe-"pressure reduction is a predetermined rate less than-- line 3,"brake application should be rate-- ime-23; delete "on said reducedeffective and insert "to vent to atmosphere the-- line 24, afterabutment" insert -other than the reduced area that is subject to thefluid under L pressure released from the quick action chamber" A line33, after "side" -mser-s ==--of said abutment-- "Signed and sealed this10th clay of July 1973..

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. v RENE TEGTMEYER Atte-sting Officer ActingCommissioner of Patents

1. In a fluid pressure brake equipment, the combination of a brake pipe,an auxiliary reservoir, and a brake control valve device having a quickaction chamber, a triple valve mechanism subject to the opposingpressures of the brake pipe and auxiliary reservoir and operative toeffect service applications and releases of the brakes, an emergencyvalve mechanism subject to the opposing pressures of the brake pipe andquick action chamber and operative to effect emergency applications andrelease of the brakes, and means operatiVe upon effecting a servicebrake application to release fluid under pressure from the quick actionchamber and a continual quick service valve device comprising: a. aquick service volume, b. a first valve means for controlling flow offluid under pressure from the brake pipe to said quick service volume,c. a second valve means for controlling flow of fluid under pressurefrom said quick service volume to atmosphere, and wherein theimprovement comprises: d. a movable abutment subject to the opposingpressures of the fluid under pressure released from the quick actionchamber and that in said quick service volume, and so constructed andconnected to said first and second valve means as to cause successivesequential operation thereof so long as one side of said abutment issubject to said fluid under pressure released from said quick actionchamber.
 1. In a fluid pressure brake equipment, the combination of abrake pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, and a brake control valve devicehaving a quick action chamber, a triple valve mechanism subject to theopposing pressures of the brake pipe and auxiliary reservoir andoperative to effect service applications and releases of the brakes, anemergency valve mechanism subject to the opposing pressures of the brakepipe and quick action chamber and operative to effect emergencyapplications and release of the brakes, and means operatiVe uponeffecting a service brake application to release fluid under pressurefrom the quick action chamber and a continual quick service valve devicecomprising: a. a quick service volume, b. a first valve means forcontrolling flow of fluid under pressure from the brake pipe to saidquick service volume, c. a second valve means for controlling flow offluid under pressure from said quick service volume to atmosphere, andwherein the improvement comprises: d. a movable abutment subject to theopposing pressures of the fluid under pressure released from the quickaction chamber and that in said quick service volume, and so constructedand connected to said first and second valve means as to causesuccessive sequential operation thereof so long as one side of saidabutment is subject to said fluid under pressure released from saidquick action chamber.
 2. A continual quick service valve device, asrecited in claim 1, further characterized in that said first valve meansincludes a spool-type valve provided with a longitudinally arrangedperipheral annular groove which carries an O-ring seal which, uponmovement of said valve means to a position in which a communication isestablished between the brake pipe and said quick service volume, ismovable by fluid under pressure from one end of said groove to the otherend.
 3. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1,further characterized in that said first valve means includes aspool-type valve provided with a longitudinally arranged peripheralannular groove that carries therein an O-ring seal which, upon movementof said valve means to a position in which a communication isestablished between the brake pipe and said quick service volume, ismovable by fluid under pressure from one end of said groove to the otherend, and which, upon subsequent movement of said valve means to aposition in which said communication between the brake pipe and saidquick service volume is closed, is movable by fluid under pressure fromsaid other end of said groove to said one end.
 4. A continual quickservice valve device, as recited in claim 1, further characterized inthat said first valve means includes a cylindrical valve member, andthat a lost-motion connection is provided between said movable abutmentand said cylindrical valve member to render said cylindrical valvemember operative by said movable abutment to establish a communicationbetween the brake pipe and said quick service volume after said secondvalve means is operated thereby to close communication between saidquick service volume and atmosphere.
 5. A continual quick service valvedevice, as recited in claim 1, further characterized in that said firstvalve means includes a cylindrical valve member that carries a pair ofspaced-apart seals, and that a lost-motion connection is providedbetween said movable abutment and said cylindrical valve member torender said cylindrical valve member operative by said movable abutmentto establish a communication between the brake pipe and said quickservice volume after said second valve means is operated thereby toclose communication between said quick service volume and atmosphere,and to render said cylindrical valve member operative by said movableabutment to close communication between the brake pipe and said quickservice volume after said second valve means is operated thereby toestablish a communication between said quick service volume andatmosphere.
 6. A continual quick service valve device, as recited inclaim 1, further characterized in that said first valve means comprises:a. an annular valve seat, b. a flat disc valve, c. biasing means fornormally biasing said disc valve into seating contact with said annularvalve seat, and d. a valve operating stem having one end abutting saidmovable abutment, the other end being so disposed within said annularvalve seat as to effect unseating of said disc valve from said seat uponmovement of said movable abutmEnt in one direction a chosen amount.
 7. Acontinual quick service valve device, as recited in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that said first valve means comprises: a. an annularvalve seat, b. a flat disc valve, c. biasing means for normally biasingsaid disc valve into seating contact with said annular valve seat, andd. a valve operating stem having one end abutting said abutment, theother end being so disposed within said annular valve seat and at such adistance below said flat disc valve while seated on said seat as toeffect unseating of said disc valve from said seat upon movement of saidmovable abutment in one direction before said second valve means isoperated thereby to close communication between said quick servicevolume and atmosphere.
 8. A continual quick service valve device, asrecited in claim 1, further characterized in that said first valve meanscomprises: a. an annular valve seat, b. a flat disc valve, c. biasingmeans for normally biasing said disc valve into seating contact withsaid annular valve seat, and d. a valve operating stem having one endabutting said abutment, the other end being so disposed within saidannular valve seat and at such a distance below said flat disc valvewhile seated on said seat as to effect unseating of said disc valve fromsaid seat as to effect unseating of said disc valve from said seat uponmovement of said abutment in one direction before said second valvemeans is operated thereby to close communication between said quickservice volume and atmosphere, and to render said biasing meanseffective to reseat said disc valve on said seat only subsequent tooperation of said second valve means by fluid under pressure toreestablish said communication between said quick services volume andatmosphere.
 9. A continual quick service valve device, as recited inclaim 1, further characterized in that said second valve meanscomprises: a. an annular valve seat, b. an annular valve member carriedon one side of said abutment and movable into seating contact with saidseat upon subjecting the other side of said abutment to the fluid underpressure released from the quick action chamber to effect a substantialreduction in the effective area of said one side of said abutmentwhereby the pressure subsequently required in said quick service volumeand acting on the reduced effective area of said one side of saidabutment to subsequently unseat said annular valve member from saidannular valve seat is a chosen multiple of the pressure acting on theeffective area of said other side of said abutment.
 10. A continualquick service valve device, as recited in claim 1, further characterizedby means operative to bleed down the fluid under pressure released fromthe quick action chamber.
 11. A continual quick service valve device, asrecited in claim 1, further characterized by means operative to bleeddown at a restricted rate the fluid under pressure released from thequick action chamber, said means comprising: a. a first choke, b. acheck valve device connected in series relation to said first choke, andc. a second choke connected in by-pass relation to said check valvewhereby the fluid under pressure effective on one side of said abutmentsubsequent to the seating of said check valve device is released fromsaid one side to atmosphere via said first and said second chokes inseries.
 12. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim9 further characterized by means restricting flow of fluid underpressure from said quick service volume to atmosphere while said annularvalve member is unseated from said annular valve seat.
 13. A continualquick service valve device, as recited in claim 9, further characterizedby a spring-biased check valve interposed between said quick servicevolume and said annular valve seat whereby, upon operating of said checkvalve, a chosen pressure, corresponding in degree to said spring bias,is always sUpplied to the area of said annular valve member within saidannular valve seat to insure unseating of said annular valve member fromsaid annular valve seat so long as the pressure acting on the effectivearea of the entire lower side of said abutment is not in excess of achosen value, a pressure in excess of said chosen value being obtainedonly upon said emergency valve mechanism effecting an emergency brakeapplication, said spring-biased check valve being operative to alwaysretain a chosen pressure in said quick service volume.
 14. A continualquick service valve device, as recited in claim 9, further characterizedby means for reducing the effective area of said other side of saidabutment subject to the fluid under pressure released from the quickaction chamber upon the fluid pressure force acting on said one side ofsaid abutment exceeding the fluid pressure force acting on said otherside.
 15. A continual quick service valve device, as recited in claim14, further characterized by a choke for venting fluid under pressurefrom said other side of said abutment to atmosphere at a restrictedrate, said choke being so located that, subsequent to operation of saidmeans to reduce the effective area of said other side of said abutmentthat is subject to the fluid under pressure released from the quickaction chamber, it is thereafter ineffective to vent to atmosphere fluidunder pressure released from the quick action chamber and effective onsaid reduced effective area of said other side of said abutment.